Redescriptions are provided of the Palaearctic species of Thaumastoptera (s. str.) Mik, viz. T. (T.) calceata Mik, 1866 (Europe; Saudi Arabia), T. (T.) intermixta Savchenko, 1974 (Russia: North Caucasus; Georgia), and T. (T.) insignis Lackschewitz, 1940 (Portugal, Spain), and a new species, T. (T.) spathifera sp. n. (Italy: Sicily), is described. All important characters of the wing and the male terminalia are illustrated. A key to the Palaearctic Thaumastoptera (s. str.) is appended.

• MeSH
• anatomické struktury zvířat MeSH
• Diptera * MeSH
• rozšíření zvířat MeSH
• velikost orgánu MeSH
• velikost těla MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH
• Portugalsko MeSH
• Rusko MeSH
• Saudská Arábie MeSH
• Sicilie MeSH
• Španělsko MeSH

Microbial communities in human-impacted soils of ancient settlements have been proposed to be used as ecofacts (bioindicators) of different ancient anthropogenic activities. In this study, bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities inhabiting soil of three archaic layers, excavated at the archaeological site on Monte Iato (Sicily, Italy) and believed to have been created in a chronological order in archaic times in the context of periodic cultic feasts, were investigated in terms of (i) abundance (phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and quantitative PCR)), (ii) carbon(C)-source consumption patterns (Biolog-Ecoplates) and (iii) diversity and community composition (Illumina amplicon sequencing). PLFA analyses demonstrated the existence of living bacteria and fungi in the soil samples of all three layers. The upper layer showed increased levels of organic C, which were not concomitant with an increment in the microbial abundance. In taxonomic terms, the results indicated that bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities were highly diverse, although differences in richness or diversity among the three layers were not detected for any of the communities. However, significantly different microbial C-source utilization patterns and structures of bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities in the three layers confirmed that changing features of soil microbial communities reflect different past human activities.

• MeSH
• Archaea genetika   MeSH
• archeologie metody   MeSH
• Bacteria genetika   MeSH
• biodiverzita MeSH
• DNA bakterií genetika   MeSH
• DNA fungální genetika   MeSH
• dusík metabolismus   MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• houby genetika   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lidské činnosti MeSH
• půda MeSH
• půdní mikrobiologie MeSH
• uhlík metabolismus   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Sicilie MeSH

Although individuals categorize odors according to their pleasantness, experience may also influence odor perception-a phenomenon that partially explains why different populations perceive odors differently. Italy, which comprises 20 regions, is characterized by very different cultures. In the present study, we investigated for the first time how Italian regional differences can affect odor perception. 254 healthy volunteers coming from northern, central, southern Italy, and Sicily, one of the two major Italian islands, were recruited in Padua, Rome, Naples, and Syracuse, respectively. Olfactory function was tested with Sniffin' Sticks identification subtest. Subjects who had a score in the range within the mean identification value ± 1 SD, in accordance with the age classes identified in the literature, were asked to judge the odor pleasantness of 20 substances. The hedonic tone of the odorants was categorized as pleasant, neutral, unpleasant, and very unpleasant. Some odorants were appreciated more in northern Italy than in the other parts of the country, whereas others were appreciated more in the south and in Sicily than in the north. Unpleasant odorants were judged less unpleasant in central Italy. Some odorants such as strawberry and vanilla were perceived similarly in all the regional areas. Our study indicates that in Italy, hedonic perception of odorants differs probably in relation with genetic, cultural, and environmental factors. Further investigation is needed to delve deeper into the factors that influence the quality odor perception amongst humans.

• MeSH
• čich fyziologie   MeSH
• čichová percepce * MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• ganglion trigeminale MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• neparametrická statistika MeSH
• odoranty * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Itálie MeSH
• Sicilie MeSH

Endemic Sicilian pond turtles Emys trinacris Fritz, Fattizzo, Guicking, Tripepi, Pennisi, Lenk, Joger et Wink were examined for the presence of haemogregarine parasites. The presence of haemogregarines, occurring mainly in the microgametocyte stage (13.2 ± 0.12 μm in length and 6.4 ± 0.52 μm in width), was observed in approximately 9% of the sampled E. trinacris. Based on the observed morphology and on the sequencing of nuclear 18S rDNA, we identified the parasite as Haemogregarina stepanowi Danilewsky, 1885. Morphometric study of uninfected and infected red blood cells has shown that H. stepanowi induces different changes in erythrocyte shape depending on the infective stage. The differential count of leukocytes in specimens infected with H. stepanowi showed no significant difference compared with healthy specimens. However, considering the health problems which might be induced by H. stepanowi in the closely related European pond turtle Emys orbicularis (Linneaus), monitoring of the health status of the infected Sicilian populations of E. trinacris is desirable. The restricted distribution of populations of Emys infected with haemogregarines in Sicily is quite puzzling and the possible human-mediated introduction of the parasite in Sicily is briefly discussed.

• MeSH
• Eucoccidiida klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   fyziologie   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• kokcidióza epidemiologie   parazitologie   veterinární   MeSH
• pijavice fyziologie   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 18S genetika   MeSH
• želvy parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Sicilie MeSH

In this study, PUF disk passive air samplers were deployed at eight sites, during two sampling periods, on the Island of Sicily in the Mediterranean basin. Samples were screened for a number of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (n = 28 congeners), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) (n = 16 compounds), and polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs n = 28) using GC-MS. PCB concentrations in air ranged ~10-300 pg m(-3). The PCB pattern was dominated by lower to middle molecular weight PCBs (Cl3-5) and PCB-28 and PCB-52 were the most abundant congeners. α- and γ-Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) concentrations in air were relatively high ~420 ± 320 (50-1000) and 460 ± 340 (30-1000) pg m(-3), respectively, with an average α/γ ratio of 1 ± 0.5, indicating a tendency of higher use of lindane than of technical HCH. Among DDTs, only p,p'-DDT 90 ± 15 (~10-800) and p,p'-DDE 60 ± 60 (20-400) were frequently detected. DDT/DDE = 0.4-3.0 (1.0 ± 0.7 for both periods) suggesting past and fresh inputs of DDT at the sampling sites. α-Endosulfan, recently included in Annex A of the Stockholm Convention, fluctuated between 120 ± 50 (50-1000) pg m(-3). In contrast, PBDE levels were very low (0.2-2 pg m(-3)). Back trajectories of advection suggest that POP levels are mainly related to local sources (primary or secondary) from Sicily (50-70 % contribution of air masses), Southern Italy, and Sardinia (20 %). This study provides new information for POP levels in the atmosphere of the Mediterranean region.

• MeSH
• atmosféra analýza   MeSH
• chlorované uhlovodíky analýza   MeSH
• halogenované difenylethery analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí přístrojové vybavení   metody   MeSH
• ostrovy MeSH
• pesticidy analýza   MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly analýza   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• ostrovy MeSH
• Sicilie MeSH
• Středomoří MeSH

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has one of the worst prognoses amongst all malignancies. It commonly arises in patients with established liver disease and the diagnosis often occurs at an advanced stage. Genetic variations, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), may alter disease risk and thus may have use as predictive markers of disease outcome. The aims of this study were (i) to assess the association of two SNPs, rs430397 in GRP78 and rs738409 in PNPLA3 with the risk of developing HCC in a Sicilian association cohort and, (ii) to use a machine learning technique to establish a predictive combinatorial phenotypic model for HCC including rs430397 and rs738409 genotypes and clinical and laboratory attributes. The controls comprised of 304 healthy subjects while the cases comprised of 170 HCC patients the majority of whom had hepatitis C (HCV)-related cirrhosis. Significant associations were identified between the risk of developing HCC and both rs430397 (p=0.0095) and rs738409 (p=0.0063). The association between rs738409 and HCC was significantly stronger in the HCV positive cases. In the best prediction model, represented graphically by a decision tree with an acceptable misclassification rate of 17.0%, the A/A and G/A genotypes of the rs430397 variant were fixed and combined with the three rs738409 genotypes; the attributes were age, sex and alcohol. These results demonstrate significant associations between both rs430397 and rs738409 and HCC development in a Sicilian cohort. The combinatorial predictive model developed to include these genetic variants may, if validated in independent cohorts, allow for earlier diagnosis of HCC.

• MeSH
• alely MeSH
• frekvence genu MeSH
• genetická predispozice k nemoci genetika   MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• hepatocelulární karcinom genetika   MeSH
• jednonukleotidový polymorfismus * MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lipasa genetika   MeSH
• membránové proteiny genetika   MeSH
• nádory jater genetika   MeSH
• proteiny teplotního šoku genetika   MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Sicilie MeSH

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory štítné žlázy * epidemiologie   chirurgie   klasifikace   patologie   MeSH
• papilární karcinom * epidemiologie   chirurgie   klasifikace   patologie   MeSH
• prognóza MeSH
• program SEER statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• registrace statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• věk při počátku nemoci MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• souhrny MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Sicilie MeSH
• Spojené státy americké MeSH

A new nematode species, Philometra spicarae sp. n. (Philometridae), is described from a gravid female found in the abdominal cavity of spicarel, Spicara smaris (Linnaeus) (Centracanthidae, Perciformes), from the Ionian Sea off Sicily, Italy. The new species differs from most other Philometra spp. parasitic in the abdominal cavity of marine fishes by the oesophagus without an anterior inflation, resembling thus only Philometra cheilopogoni Mordvinova, 1986 and Philometra justinei Moravec, Ternengo and Levron, 2006; these two species can be differentiated from P. spicarae by the relative length of the oesophagus to body length (0.6-0.8% vs. 6%) and some other features. From the gonad-infecting species Philometra filiformis (Stossich, 1896), a parasite of Pagellus erythrinus (Linnaeus), P. spicarae differs mainly in having a conspicuously long (1.4 mm) intestinal ligament. It is the first nominal philometrid species described from the fish of the family Centracanthidae.

• MeSH
• anatomické struktury zvířat anatomie a histologie   MeSH
• břišní dutina parazitologie   MeSH
• Dracunculoidea anatomie a histologie   klasifikace   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• ezofágus parazitologie   MeSH
• infekce hlísticemi řádu Spirurida parazitologie   patologie   veterinární   MeSH
• mikroskopie MeSH
• nemoci ryb parazitologie   patologie   MeSH
• Perciformes parazitologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Sicilie MeSH

• MeSH
• magnetická rezonanční tomografie MeSH
• radiologické oddělení nemocnice MeSH
• zahraniční odborný personál MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Sicilie MeSH

• MeSH
• Rhipicephalus virologie   MeSH
• Thogotovirus izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Sicilie MeSH